Themes: Loss of Innocence
One of the major arcs in “Araby” is the narrator’s movement from innocence to experience. As the story begins, the narrator is one of many neighborhood children who play daily; he describes “the career of our play” as they run all over from the starting point of their street. There are, however, hints of the adult world to come in the remnants left behind by the priest who used to live in the narrator’s house—particularly the “central apple-tree,” which in the story’s deeply Catholic context evokes humans’ biblical expulsion from the Garden of Eden.
The beginning of the narrator’s infatuation with Mangan’s sister is a clear point of transition. He creates an image of her rather than realistically interpreting her. He becomes obsessed, afraid that schoolwork or interruptions from others will force him to stop thinking about her. This is despite the fact that Mangan’s sister seems to have no special interest in the narrator, only speaking to him once within the story, and is described several times as “brown.” The reader is reminded that she is a girl like any other, and it is clear that the narrator’s depiction of her is highly subjective.
After the narrator begins to dream of Mangan’s sister, he isolates himself—feels differentiated, even, in the strength of his affections—and seems to stop playing with the other children on his street, instead seeing them from afar while he thinks of her instead. As he waits for his uncle to return home so he can go to Araby, he says,
From the front window I saw companions playing below in the street. Their cries reached me weakened and indistinct and, leaning my forehead against the cool glass, I looked over at the dark house where she lived.
The narrator’s journey to Araby, alone in a “bare carriage” of “a special train for the bazaar,” is itself set up as a sort of quest. Yet it signals the distance between the Araby of the narrator’s imagining—an “Eastern enchantment” that might just make Mangan’s sister return his affections—and the reality of his day. His uncle forgets about the bazaar entirely; the bazaar does not have the exotic spirit that the narrator imagined and is instead composed of English shopkeepers; the half-dark space of the hall late at night even recalls the too-familiar space of a church. Though a few afterimages of the narrator’s imagined outcome flicker (“two men . . . counting money on a salver” and “the great jars that stood like eastern guards at either side of the dark entrance to the stall”), the story’s end is characterized by the disappearance of light at the top of the hall and the narrator’s accompanying disenchantment. By the last sentence, the narrator feels “anguish and anger” at his “vanity” and his realization that what he had imagined is so far from the prosaic truth.
Expert Q&A
What is the significance of the quote, "Gazing up into the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity; and my eyes burned with anguish and anger"?
The quote "Gazing up into the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity; and my eyes burned with anguish and anger" signifies the narrator's painful realization of his own naivety and vanity. It marks his understanding that his dreams and desires are insignificant to the world, highlighted by his failed expectations at the bazaar. This epiphany leads to feelings of deep sorrow and anger as he recognizes his unimportance.
What does Araby symbolize for the protagonist and his goal?
For the protagonist, Araby symbolizes the allure of beauty, mystery, and romance, offering an escape from his mundane life. Initially, he views the bazaar as an enchanted place where he can fulfill his romantic quest for Mangan's sister by bringing her a special gift. However, upon arrival, he is disillusioned by its tawdriness and commercialism, realizing that his dreams are crushed by reality and leaving him trapped in his dreary existence.
What does "Araby" symbolize to the boy and how is the story's conflict resolved there?
In "Araby," the boy views the bazaar as a symbol of romantic and spiritual adventure, merging his infatuation with Mangan's sister and his religious fervor. The bazaar represents an exotic quest akin to a knight's journey. However, the story's conflict resolves when the boy confronts the mundane reality of the bazaar, realizing his fantasies are mere delusions. This epiphany leaves him disillusioned, highlighting his transition from naive boyhood to a more mature understanding of reality.
What is the significance of the following quote from "Araby"?
Some distant lamp or lighted window gleamed below me. I was thankful that I could see so little. All my senses seemed to desire to veil themselves and, feeling that I was about to slip from them, I pressed the palms of my hands together until they trembled, murmuring: "O love! O love!" many times.
The quote from "Araby" highlights the narrator's internal conflict between romantic idealism and religious fervor. This confusion is symbolized by the setting and his actions, such as entering a room associated with both religious and secular influences. The imagery of veils and his prayer-like gesture underscore his mixed feelings of burgeoning sexuality and religious devotion. Ultimately, this conflict leads to his epiphany and disillusionment with both the bazaar and his romantic ideals.
How does the boy in "Araby" lose his innocence?
The boy in "Araby" loses his innocence when he realizes that his romantic ideals and dreams of being with Mangan's sister are illusions. His disillusionment occurs after facing numerous obstacles to reach the bazaar, only to find it nearly closed and unremarkable. This epiphany makes him aware of the hollowness of his ideals and the harsh realities of life.
Analyze the boy's feelings in the last paragraph of "Araby" by James Joyce.
Boy's Epiphany and Realization in "Araby"
In James Joyce's "Araby," the protagonist experiences an epiphany at the story's end, realizing the stark contrast between his romantic fantasies and harsh reality. Initially, he idealizes the bazaar as an exotic escape and a means to impress Mangan's sister, whom he adores. However, upon arriving late, he finds it mundane and commercialized. This disillusionment leads to self-awareness, recognizing his vanity and the futility of his dreams, marking his transition from innocent idealism to a more cynical maturity.
Conflicts and losses in "Araby"
In "Araby," the main conflicts are internal, involving the narrator's struggle between idealistic dreams and harsh reality. He experiences the loss of innocence and disillusionment when his romanticized expectations clash with the mundane reality of the bazaar, leading to a profound sense of disappointment.
The conflict between romance/imagination and reality in "Araby."
The conflict between romance/imagination and reality in "Araby" is depicted through the protagonist's idealized view of the bazaar and his infatuation with Mangan's sister. His romantic fantasies are shattered by the stark reality of the mundane and disappointing bazaar, highlighting the gap between his dreams and the real world.
The theme of "Araby" and its relation to a boy's transition to adulthood, marked by disillusionment with reality
The theme of "Araby" centers on the transition from childhood to adulthood, marked by the boy's disillusionment with reality. As he experiences the disparity between his romantic fantasies and the stark reality of life, he gains a painful awareness of the limitations and disappointments that accompany growing up.
Get Ahead with eNotes
Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.
Already a member? Log in here.
